The announcement came oddly enough at the bottom of the press release announcing that the team had come to terms with third-round pick DT Roy Miller. “The team also announced that QB Brian Griese has been released,” the statement announcing the release says.

The move to let Griese go is by no means a surprise, as despite being under contract for the next two seasons, he was not involved in any offseason programs, and was not expected to be in the mix at all for he Bucs QB spot.

He came into the league in 1998 as a third-round pick of the Broncos. His career has taken him to Miami, Tampa, Chicago, and Tampa. Griese has a career passer rating of 82.7, and he has passed for 19,440 yards in eleven NFL seasons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers third-round defensive tackle Roy Miller’s four-year rookie contract included a $770,000 signing bonus, according to a league source.

The total base value of the deal is worth $2.52 million, which includes minimum base salaries of $310,000, $395,000, $480,000 and $565,000.

However, the maximum value of Miller’s contract could be boosted significantly by a fourth-year escalator clause, according to our source.

Drafted 81st overall, the former University of Texas lineman registered 138 career tackles and 10 sacks for the Longhorns.

As a senior, the 6′1,” 310-pounder posted 49 tackles, 11 tackles for losses and 5 1/2 sacks.

The Buccaneers’ quarterback competition is an open battle with just a few weeks to go until the start of the training camp, and it could take some time before a front-runner emerges.

There was talk, fueled in part by comments from Bucs QB coach Greg Olson, toward the end of the team’s final minicamp in June that rookie Josh Freeman might vault to the starting spot by Week One, since neither Luke McCown nor Byron Leftwich had done much to separate himself from the pack, but Bucs GM Mark Dominik did his best to crush that sentiment, saying he’d rather have Freeman sit back and mature rather than be pushed into things right away.

Dominik said the competition between McCown and Leftwich is very tight, but we hear McCown continues to hold on to a slight edge, which he enjoyed throughout the offseason, thanks to his familiarity with the club’s personnel and Leftwich’s issues with a groin injury.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Derrick Brooks expressed he still can play football in the NFL today this season during an interview on ESPN Radio St. Louis. Brooks spoke with former teammate and NFL player D’Marco Farr on Wednesday about his carrer, the former rivalry Tampa Bay had with the Rams, and what his future might be. On what he can still offer a team at this point in his career:

“A lot. Like I said, four years ago we did an extension and I was committed to playing fifteen years. Back then, hopefully all of them would have been in Tampa but like I said, that’s a milestone that me personally, I committed years ago to make. And like I said, there’s enough interest out there from teams to keep the fire burning. So I’ll continue to stay in shape and we’ll see what happens.”

Brooks is one of a handful of higher profile vets like he, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James that remain out of work and looking for a team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik believes his team has spent its money wisely over the past five years. The Bucs have spent the least amount of money on player costs between 2004 and 2008 than any other NFL team, according to a recent article on NFL.com. Despite the frugal spending, Dominik insists he has never been ordered by the Glazers, who spent over $1.5 billion to acquire Manchester United in 2005, not to spend money on free agents.

“It’s never been stated like that, nor have I been under that impression my last six or seven months on the job, or the years prior as director of pro [personnel],” Dominik said. “It’s been, ‘Lets spend our money smart.’

“The ultimate goal is to let Josh Freeman sit back and learn,” Dominik said Saturday.

So with that, the GM and coaches appear to be on somewhat different wave lengths, as the coaches to this point seem to feel that it’s not a problem to throw Freeman into the fire from day one. Now it will be interesting to see if Dominik’s words have any impact on how the QB derby shapes up in training camp.

“I still think he’s a 21-year-old quarterback who came out as a true junior,” Dominik said of Freeman. “You’d like for him to grow and mature into his role and not be forced into it.”

Buccaneers MLB Barrett Ruud reported to the team’s mandatory minicamp last week after skipping all of the voluntary OTAs, but he could be absent again when training camp begins July 31.

Ruud stayed away during the voluntary sessions to try to ramp up negotiations for a new contract. His attempt was unsuccessful, as no progress on a deal has been made between his representatives and GM Mark Dominik, and Ruud told reporters at minicamp that he isn’t committed to reporting to training camp on time if negotiations aren’t moving in the direction he desires at that point.

The fifth-year veteran has one year left on his current deal, which will pay him close to $1.6 million in 2009, but under the new rules that will be implemented if the league goes to an uncapped year in ’10, Ruud will be a restricted free agent next offseason. Tampa Bay will be able to match any offer a team makes for Ruud or accept draft picks as compensation.

Bucs QB coach Greg Olson says that he has no issues with giving Freeman every shot to be the starter come opening day. “If he can show he’s progressing as far as the decision­making goes, then shoot, why not?” Olson said when the subject of Freeman starting as a rookie was broached. ”He’s comfortable in there. He throws a great ball. He’s accurate, and if he’s not turning the ball over, then gosh, maybe he will be ready to play.”

One has to also wonder how that is going to effect Leftwich and McCown, two players that eyed the starting job. Leftwich came to Tampa from Pittsburgh with every intention of getting the starting job, but he may have to play second fiddle to the rookie if Freeman continues to make the fast track towards starting.

The big thing now is getting Freeman signed. If your his agent, Ken Kremer, dollar signs must pop in your head when you hear Olson make comments like he made. For Freeman, it’s about staying on track and being a good learner in camp - that is if he’s even there.

Although there has been no official announcement from the team regarding which home game will see the Buccaneers donning their old orange and white Bucco Bruce uniforms, PewterReport.com has learned that Tampa Bay is targeting the Green Bay contest on Nov. 8 as a throwback game. The team will abandon its red and pewter uniforms in favor of the old orange and white uniforms that were worn from 1976-96. The Packers game makes the most sense because of the famed “Battle of the Bays” series that took place between the two teams from 1977-2001 when the Bucs were in the NFC Central division.